Feed-strip for fixed ammunition.



.Patented Apr. 3, |900.

'L v. .BENT s. H. A. mEncI.

FEED STRIP FOB FIXED MMUNITION.

(Application led Aug. 28, 1899.) Y (No Model.) 2l Sheets-Sheet I.

311mg/ ff No. 646,792. Patented Apr. 3,1900. L. v. BENT& H. A. mEncI.

FEED STRIP FOR FIXED AHMUNITIN.

(Application led Aug. 28, 1399.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

LAWRENCE v. EENET AND HENRI A. MERcI, oF PARIS, 'FRANCE FEED-STRIP FOR FIXED AMMuNrrloN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,792, dated April 3, 1900.

Original application filed May 2,1899, Serial No. 715,342. Divided and this application iiled August 28, 1899. Serial No. 728,771. (No model.)

to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in feed-strips for use in automatic guns, and more especially intended for use inthose automatic guns which are provided with a reciprocating piston, lalthough the same might be applicable with or without changes to other guns,

The preferred form of gun'in which we propose to use the feed-strip is shown and d escribed in our pending application entitled Improvements in automatic guns, led May 2, 1899,'Serial No. 715,342, in which the hereinbefore-described feed-strip is shown and of which application this is a division'.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l represents a section across the gun, showing the feed-strip in position and looking toward the breech of the gun. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the feed-strip with the iixed ammunition removed therefrom, parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a section of adevice shown in Fig. 2 along the line 3 3 of said figure. Fig. 4 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of the feed-strip. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation, partly broken away, of the feed-strip. Figs. 6 and '7 are detail views of the resilient strip used for holding the cartridges in the feed-strip untill it is desired to release the same, aud Figs. 8 and 9are views showing modified forms of the resilient strip.

A represents a part of the housing and rear of the powder-chamber of the gun B represents the reciprocating piston, having cam*- faces b; C represents the reciprocating breechblock, and D D' the extractors, all of which parts are fully described and shown in our application aforesaid and, not forming a part of our present invention, will not be further described herein.

I be lifted bodily upward.

The feed-strip consists, preferably, of a single casting E, of ,bronze or other metal, and

holds ten or suoliother number of cartridges as will not exceed a suitable weight for quick handling. To the front of the strip are attached a series of .clips e, which embrace the ogival heads of the projectiles'. They are provided with a small overhanging loop so formed that the ogival head is held therein; but when the cartridge Visslightly withdrawn to the rear the projectile is free from the clips and may To the rear of the strip are formed a series ofclips e2, which grasp the cartridge-case just in front of the rim thereof. The rim ofthe cartridge-case is pressed up against the rear face of these clips e2 by means of an undulating strip, which is preferably formed as shown in Figs. 2 to 7, but which may be applied as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, if preferred. This resilient strip F, as shown in Figs. 2 to 7, is made of a single piece .of thin metal with loops fand ears f. These ea'rs pass through an opening c4 of the feed-strip (see Fig. 2) and pass under the ribs c3 in the guideway at the rear edge of the feedstrip, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The loops f are so arranged as to project above the lower edge of the rim of the cartridge-case and' to hold the cartridge in a forward position, with the ogival head engaging the clips e, until these loops are pressed down, when this cartridge may be'moved rearward in its clips until the ogival head is disengaged, when the cartridge may be removed, either by hand or automatically, from the'gun, as will-be hereinafter described.

Instead of the form of undulating* resilientstrip shown in Figs. 2,to 7 we may use the .strip F wit-helongated eyes f 2, through which project the pins f'by means of which the said strip is secured to the feed-strip E'. In

either case the undulations of the holdingf strip should register with the center of each pair of holding-clips e2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 9. 'In either case if pressure be brought to bear upon au undulation from above it will be flattened down and the cartridge ma)l be withdrawn to the rear.

. On the under side of the feed-strip, when it is to be used with the guns of the character described, lugs or tenons e6. are provided,

which engage with the feed-cam b onthe reciprocatin g piston B, .which has been fully described in our application aforesaid. These lugs or tenons furthermore Iserve as locks against backward motion of 'the feed-stri p by means of the teeth h and h on the stop II, which stop is pressed upward by the spring K and is turned about the pivot h2 by means of the handle I-l when it is desired to withl draw the feed-strip from the gun before the cartridges therefrom have been fired; but the operations of the stop, of the piston, and of the other parts of the mechanism have been fully described in our application aforesaid and, not forming anypart of our present inven tion, will not be further described herein. The rear end of the feed-strip is recessed, as at E0, so that when the last cartridge has been fired the stop H may springup and lock4 the piston, as has been described in the appli cation aforesaid.

The operation of the feed-strip in the preferred type of gun has .been explained at length in theapplication aforesaidbut will L be briefly recapitulated.

The feed-strip is shoved into the guideway therefor in the housingA from the left of Fig.

l. The loops of the resilient strip will engage beneath andbe pressed down by t-he tongue i n, of the housing, while at the same time the rim of the cartridge-case will engage in the cam-groove a2, (shown in dotted linesin Fig. 1,) drawing the cartridge S far enough to the rear to disengage the front clip e, when the cartridge is free to move up the incline on the upper side of the tongue a., up which .it is pushed by the clips until it reaches a position nearly in line with the axis of the bore. Then the lower extractor D on the forward stroke of the breech-block C pushes the cartridge home to the powder-'chamber of the gun.

The feed-strip after once being inserted is fed automatically by means of the cams b on the reciprocating piston B (only one of said cams is shown.) and the strip is normally prevented from being drawn backward by the toothhon the stop H, while it is checked i its forward motion by the tooth hL.

By turning the stop down about its pivot a h2 by hand against the `action of the spring K both ofthe teeth h and h' may be brought clear of the tenons4 and the feed-stripfmay be backed out of its seat.

Having thus described our invention, what 5 we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. A feed-strip provided with cartridge'-y holding clips, and a continuous resilient abu tment for holding the cartridges in place, subo stantially as described. l

2. In a feed-strip, the combination with the.l front clip adapted to engage the ogival head of the projectile and to retain the same against radial movement whenin place on said strip, 5 of a rear clip to hold the rear portion of the cartridge, and a resilient loop normally pressing upward in rear of the rim of the cartridgecase and normally holding the same against longitudinal movement in said clip, substantially as described.

3. In a feed-strip, the combination with a plurality of front clips engaging the ogival heads of the projectiles and retaining the same against radial movement when in place on said strip, of a plurality of rear clips holding the rear portion of the cartridge, and a resilient strip having loops projecting upward in rear of the rims of the vcartridges and holding the same against longitudinal movement in said clips, substantially as described.

' `4. In a feed-strip, the combination with a plurality of front clips to hold the ogival heads of the projectiles and to retain the same against radial movement when in place on said strip, of a plurality ofV rear clips to hold the rear portion of the cartridges, a guideway in rear of said rear clips, and a resilient strip having 'cars projecting into said guideway, loops projecting upward in rear of the rims of theA cartridges, substantially as described.

5. A cartridge-holding feed-strip provided abutment, and a series of tenons for engaging with a reciprocating part of the breech mechanism, substantially as described.

6. A feed-strip provided with cartridgeholding clips,' a continuous resilient abutment for holding the cartridges in place, and a series of tenons on the lower portion of said feed-strip for engaging with a reciprocating -upward in rear of the rim of the cartridge and normally holding the same against longitudinal movement in said clip, and a series of tenons'on the lowerv portion of said feedstrip for engaging with a `reciprocating part of the breech mechanism, substantially as described. l

8. Irr a feed-strip, the combination with a. plurality of front clips engaging the ogival heads of the projectiles and retaining the same against radial movement when in place on said strip, of a pluralityof rear clips holding the rear portion of the cart-ridge, a resilient strip having loops projecting upward in rear o f the rims of the cartridges and holding the same against longitudinal movement in said clips, and la series of tenons on the lower portion of said feed-strip for engaging with a reciprocating part of the breech mechanism, substantially as described.

9. In a feed-strip, the combination with a plurality of front clips to hold the ogival -with the cartridge-holding clips, the resilient l IIO e 646,792 I e heads of the projectiles and to retain the same reciprocating part of the breech mechanism, ro against radial movement when in place on substantially as described. said strip, of a plurality of rear clips to hold In testimony whereof we afx our signathe rear portion of the cartridges, guideways tures in presence of two witnesses. v

5 in rem' of said rear lips, a resilient strip hav- LAWRENCE V. BENE-T.

ing ears projecting into said guideways, loops HENRI A. MERCI. projecting upward in rear of the rims of the Witnesses: cartridges, and a. series of tenons on the lower S. HERYNGFET,

port-ion of said feed-strip for engaging with a A. C. KOERNER. 

